Shall We Dance?
by AdmHawthorne
Summary: Twitter inspiration... Rizzles moments ahead! One Shot


**Had a moment of inspiration from some twittering again. This time from RizzoliQuotes' Wonder Wednesdays:****_ "I wonder if JaneRizzoli could ever get Maura Isles to go out dancing..."_**

**Here's my take._  
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**As always, the character's aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them.  
**

* * *

"Hey Maura, do you have anything planned for tonight?" Jane sauntered into the morgue without any preamble of hello.

"Hello, Jane," the ME smiled at the brunette. "I had plans to finish reading a few articles on the newest corpse preservation techniques. There was also a fascinating documentary on the history of early American colonial life that I thought I might finish watching tonight. Oh! There's an exhibit showing that details the history of mummification that I feel would be very educational. You know, the Egyptians were not the only people to mummify the remains of their dead? In fact…"

Jane crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow quieting the energetic blonde. "Okay, can you put all of that off until tomorrow sometime? I need a favor."

"Of course, Jane. What kind of favor?"

Jane shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other. "Look, I don't normally agree to these kinds of things, but Ma insisted, and you know how she is." Maura stood attentively as she waited for Jane to continue. "So, anyway, she's got it in her head for the family to go dancing at this place she found out about. Apparently, it's some sort of bar where people can dance. I looked it up. It looks like a honky-tonk to me."

"A honk-key tonk?" Maura gave Jane a look that clearly stated she had no idea what that was.

"You know, a cowboy bar." Jane chuckled as she watched Maura crinkle her nose in aversion.

"I don't know, Jane. I don't consider country and western to be high on my list of acceptable forms of music." Maura made another disapproving face. "In addition, I am unfamiliar with any forms of dance likely to be acceptable for a 'cowboy bar'. Perhaps you should ask Lt. Grant to accompany you? He may be more familiar with these situations than I am. I have heard him playing that type of music in his office."

Jane scowled at the blonde. "I'm not asking him out on a date, Maura."

"Are you asking me out on a date, Jane?" Maura tilted her head to the side and smirked at the stunned detective.

"What? No! That's not what I meant." Jane sighed in frustration. "Look, I just want someone to come with so I don't have to go to this thing by myself. You know I don't dance. Period. But, Ma cornered me, and now I _have_ to go." Jane started to plead. "_Come on_, Maura, you're my best friend. Do this thing for me. Please?" Maura looked uncertain. "Hey, you totally owe me."

"In what way?"

"Remember when I went with you to that charity event?"

"That was a bowling event, and I asked you to go with me because I knew you enjoyed bowling."

"Yeah, but do you remember what happened?" Jane crossed her arms and waited.

Maura became very interested in the coffee cup on her desk. "Yes."

"What happened?" Jane leaned over to make eye contact with the doctor. "Tell me."

"I miscalculated the correct trajectory for the bowling ball."

"And?" Maura winced.

"And, I released too early."

"And?" Again, the ME winced.

"And it bounced off the side of the lane as opposed to running the proper course."

"And?" Jane watched as Maura sighed heavily and looked up to meet her gaze.

"And it rebounded back towards us hitting you in the chest."

"I had a bruise on my chest for two weeks, Maura. _Two weeks_. Do you know how hard it is to fire a gun when you have a bruise the size of a bowling ball on your collarbone?"

"Clavicle bone." Maura frowned. "What time should I expect you?"

"6 o'clock. Be ready when I get there. Ma hates it when we're late."

* * *

"This place seems unsanitary and rather dubious to me, Jane. Are you certain this is where your mother wanted us to meet them?" Maura pulled a handkerchief from her purse and wiped off the booth before they both scooted into one side to allow her parents to scoot into the other once they arrived.

"Yeah, I'm sure this is the place." Jane checked her cell. "Frankie should be here soon." Jane kept an eye on the door as she sipped her beer. "At least it's not loud in here."

"Who is Frankie bringing with him?"

"I don't think he is. This was kind of a last minute thing coming from Ma. I think she thinks it'll be a good way for me and him to meet people outside of work. She's always saying, 'Jane, why can't you ever make any new friends?' I tell her I've got plenty, but, you know, it's Ma." Jane rolled her eyes.

"If that is your mother's plan, then asking me to come would seem to be counterproductive."

"Exactly."

"Oh, I see." Jane glanced over to see Maura intently staring at her bar napkin.

"Excuse me," Jane looked up to see a tall, rather handsome man in a cowboy hat and jeans slide into the seat across from them. "I couldn't help but notice you two lovely ladies were alone." He gave them a grin. "How would you like some company?" Jane reached down to her belt and pulled up her shield. "So, I guess that means you have a pair of handcuffs at home, huh little lady?" He winked at her.

Jane heard Maura chuckle under her breath.

"Yeah, it also means I'm carrying a gun. Want me to use it?" The cowboy blinked at her. "Get lost."

"Oh now, you can't tell me you two ladies aren't looking for some gentleman to come over and dance with you? You're all dressed up!"

"Actually, we came under duress." Maura replied.

"In a dress?" The cowboy looked at both women, who were clearly dressed in slacks.

"No _duress_. Duress, meaning harsh or severe treatment coming from the old French duresse. That was based on the Latin duritia meaning "hardness" and from durus meaning "hard". By the 1950's, the word moved to also include the definition 'a sense of coercion or to be compelled." Maura smiled at the cowboy. "In this case, the latter definition would apply."

"Yeah," he cleared his throat and looked back to Jane. "Alright, so why don't you come dance with me, little lady, and then, maybe, we could have a good time?"

"Okay, first of all, that's 'Detective' to you, not 'little lady'. Second of all, that is the worst pickup line I have ever heard. Third of all, I've already told you to get lost. Am I going to have to arrest you for harassing a police officer or what?"

"Aw, don't be like that." He leaned forward on the table. "I just mean that maybe you'd like some male companionship for the night seeing as how you two are all by yourself."

"No." Jane glared at the man now invading her personal space. "Now, get lost."

"Well, why not?" By now, the cowboy was clearly offended.

"Not interested, okay? Beat it. We're expecting people." Jane leaned back and clipped her shield back on her belt.

"What's so wrong with me, anyhow?" The cowboy pulled back from Jane as if he'd been slapped.

"What are you? Deaf? I told you I wasn't interested." Jane looked over to Maura. "Can you believe this guy?"

"You know, there are plenty of women here that would love to dance with a fellow like me."

"Then go find one," Jane leaned over to Maura and whispered, "This guy isn't going to leave on his own. Follow my lead, okay?" Maura nodded.

"Now, I think you might just be the one I'm supposed to find tonight." He shot her a sly smile as he looked up at her from under the brim of his hat.

Jane reached over and laid her right arm across Maura's shoulders, pulling her closer. "Yeah, I'm sure." To Jane's surprise, Maura snuggled up closer to her and placed her left hand on Jane's thigh. "We're not in need of your companionship, cowboy."

The cowboy chuckled. "Don't you think I've seen that act before?"

Jane leaned into Maura and planted a kiss on the stunned blonde. "Maybe, but what makes you think it's an act?" Jane ran her hand down Maura's shoulder to her side. She leaned and whispered to Maura, "We should hit the dance floor so he'll get the message and the rest of these guys will leave us alone." Still stunned, Maura mutely nodded yes in response.

Jane stood up pulling Maura with her and moved out to the dance floor leaving the still speechless cowboy sitting at their booth. "I've never taken the lead before, but I think I can figure it out. The two-step's pretty easy."

Maura shook her head in the negative. "Jane, I don't know how to."

"You're smart, Maura. I promise you'll get it."

"But, the mechanics of two women dancing…" Maura step away from Jane as she protested.

"Just trust me, okay?" Jane grabbed Maura's hands placing one on her shoulder and one on her waist. She began to lead Maura around the dance floor oblivious to the people watching them.

"How… how did you," Maura was still trying to catch up with what was going on. "How do you know how to dance?"

"I used to date a guy who pretended to be a cowboy. I said I don't dance, but that doesn't mean I don't know _how_. Don't look at your feet. Look at me. It's easier that way." She guided them around the dance floor.

"Jane," Maura's mind finally caught up. "What just happened here?"

"We acted like a couple to get that cowboy to leave us alone." She shrugged.

"Was a kiss necessary?"

"It got the point across, didn't it?"

"Well, yes, but I feel like I was underprepared and wasn't able to give my best performance."

Jane stiffened.

"Well, that's okay, Maura. I mean, it's not like it was for real." She was suddenly conscious of the blonde's hands holding on to her hip and the back of her neck. When had they moved there? "Right?"

"What would you prefer?" Maura looked suddenly serious.

"Maybe we should go sit back down?" Jane started to move them toward the edge of the dance floor. She could see the men's heads turn and watch them as they moved. "Or, you know, leave."

"Where would we go? Won't your mother be angry if we leave before she arrives?"

"Probably, but I'll deal with it later." Jane held on to Maura's hand as she walked them out of the bar and to her car. "I'll tell her we got a call or something."

"Jane, you're going to _lie_ to your mother?"

"It wouldn't be the first time." She released Maura's hand and opened the car door for her.

"Jane," Maura watched as Jane settled in behind the steering wheel. "We should really talk about this."

"About what?" Jane pulled out faster than what was warranted. "It was just a dance."

"And a kiss."

"Yeah, that, too."

At the first red light, Maura reached over to place her hand on top of Jane's. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Sure. I mean, why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem shaken."

"I'm fine, Maura."

"I really think we should talk about this. It isn't healthy to keep things bottled up."

Jane closed her eyes for a brief second and sighed. "When we get to your place, okay? I don't want to talk about this while I'm trying to drive."

Maura patted Jane's hand. "Okay."


End file.
